the rain.
Elsa’s blue eyes are glassed over.
They’re blackening and darkening on Queens.
Like the other time, she’s quiet.
So fucking quiet.
Since I was a child, I was attuned to small noises. I couldn’t sleep all night because of the small sounds coming from the trees’ leaves.
It should be impossible that I didn’t hear her approach.
For the second time.
I’m still studying Elsa and her stiffened body language when she slams her fist into Queens’ face.
The latter clutches her cheek, mouth hanging open when Elsa punches her in the chest. Queens shrieks and wraps both her arms around her midsection.
Elsa grips her by the collar of her shirt. “I told you to stay the fuck away from what’s mine!”
And then she goes to punch her again.
Queens tries to fight her off, but she’s like a helpless toddler in front of Elsa’s strength.
Elsa’s brute, subconscious strength.
My body tightens as I watch her closely.
That posture. That same fucking posture.
A black halo surrounds my head, and I can’t see anything past it.
No. That’s a lie.
I can see a little boy.
The welts on his skin.
The darkness in his surroundings.
The fear in his eyes.
The same fear that’s now on Queens’ face as she bends over in front of Elsa’s assault.
I grab her by the arm and pull her back so harshly, she slams straight into my chest.
She tries to fight me off, her hands still pointing in Queens’ direction. The latter is crouched on the wet ground, coughing and trembling under the rain.
Elsa isn’t seeing that. She’s not seeing anything except for the black rage covering her vision.
Just like them.
She’s just like them.
No. She’s not.
This is Elsa. My Elsa.
And no fucking one will take her away from me. Not even herself.
I wrap my hand around her neck and squeeze.
Her arms stop flailing about. She blinks a few times. When she finally looks at me – like really looks at me – her gaze fills with horror as if she’s just realising what she has done.
“Don’t go there again,” I whisper.
If she does, I’ll have no choice but to follow her. She'll hate what I become like when I do.
She nods once even though her eyes are lost, I pull her into me and wrap my arms around her back as she hides her head in my chest.
For a few seconds, we stand there as the rain beats down on us.
“Make her go,” Elsa murmurs in my chest. “Make her go away.”
“Leave,” I order Queens.
She stands and opens her mouth to say something, but then her gaze strays behind me and her mouth falls open.
Her bright blue eyes widen with fear.
Pure, unhinged fear.
Still staring behind me, she opens her car door with trembling hands and slips inside. And then, she’s speeding out of the driveway.
Still cradling Elsa close to my chest, I glance behind me.
Nash stands at the entrance with both hands in his pockets.
A rare cruel smirk lifts his lips.
23
Elsa
My teeth clatter together.
I’m trembling and choking on air.
My heart slams against my chest so hard, I’m surprised it doesn’t rip its way out.
My shirt sticks to my skin all soaked from the rain.
I don’t even know how I ended up in Aiden’s room, sitting in the corner, and pulling my knees to my chest.
The last thing I remember is Aiden squeezing my throat and bringing me back from whatever haze I was in.
I remember red.
Dots of blood spilt in my head like the pool from the nightmare. The next thing I know, I was hitting Silver.
I wanted to push her inside that red pool.
I wanted her gone.
If Aiden didn’t stop me, what would I have done?
Tears fill my eyes, and I tighten my arms around my legs as I rock back and forth against the wall.
Something is wrong with me.
When did I become this person? When did I start fantasising about hurting people?
“Elsa.”
A larger than life presence crouches in front of me. Just like Uncle Reg in that nightmare.
Will it be a red pool now?
Am I trapped in my endless nightmares?
I stare up with wild eyes.
Aiden’s shirt is also soaked and is now transparent, outlining his hard muscles. He must’ve lost the jacket somewhere because his shirt’s cuffs are rolled to his elbows. The arrow tattoos point straight at his heart.
He holds a towel in his hand and watches me intently.
My breathing slows down a little, but it’s not enough to purge the disturbing images in my head.
It’s not enough to make me stop thinking about what I would’ve done to Silver if he weren’t there to stop me.
“W-what’s